Wilber’s barbecue

“By cutting costs of operation, our long tradition of serving great eastern North Carolina barbecue and good food will be resumed quickly,” he says, adding, “I hope all our loyal customers will return when our doors are open again.”

Robert Moss on the reader-voted South’s 10 Best Barbecue Joints; Southern Soul BBQ in St. Simon’s Island in Georgia again takes the top spot

Also known as the other feud from Fertel’s book “The One True Barbecue” (our take here). In the chapter on Wilber’s Barbecue in the book, Wilber happened to be off work for his 83rd birthday (an extremely rare occurrence) so Fertel ends up spending his time with one of the pitmasters Keith Ward who goes by the name of “Pop”. During his time with Pop, Fertel notes a division of race between the white-owned restaurant and its white front of the house staff and the pitmasters and kitchen who tend black. This has been disputed by Wilber himself. In any case, Fertel speaks to his approach to writing the book at this appearance at Flyleaf Book Store in Chapel Hill last year as well as the supposed feud with Wilber Shirley.

– Speaking of new barbecue restaurants, Asheville is getting a new one in Bonfire Barbecue next spring that will be using a wood-assisted Southern Pride gas smoker (the article conflates the two, but to me, a Southern Pride is a gasser at heart)

The Pig belongs to Sam Suchoff, who is a 33-year-old California dude — pertinent facts, both of these. California dude is pertinent because seriously? California? And 33 because I’ve eaten barbecue older than that. He is, by far, the youngest cook I’ve met on this expedition. It’s fitting, though, and necessary, because if our children’s children’s children are going to be eating barbecue in the year 2525, someone from Generation Y is going to have to keep the pit fires burning.

– Myron Mixon has parted ways with his restaurant partners in both Pride and Joy locations – Miami and the soon-to-be-opened New York (via)

– In case you were wondering, you can take Wilber’s barbecue (and presumably any other barbecue) through airport security (although why the typo of “Wilbur’s” made it through the editing process at the N&O is a mystery to me)